Hilmar Veigar Pétursson is the CEO of CCP Games, the studio behind the long-running sci-fi MMO EVE Online. Under Hilmar’s leadership, CCP has become a pioneer in exploring emerging technologies in gaming, from its early adoption of virtual reality and the free-to-play model to its application of single-shard universes, player-driven economies, and many more. These bold decisions have helped sustain EVE Online’s more than 20-year legacy as the largest living work of science fiction, securing its place alongside genre-defining titles such as RuneScape and World of Warcraft.
One of Hilmar’s latest projects with CCP Games is EVE Frontier, which aims to push the technological boundaries of gaming through the integration of blockchain technology and open-source third-party development. EVE Frontier is a space survival MMO, where players must use their ingenuity to survive in a harsh galaxy governed by entropy and inhabited by rogue AI. Designed as a persistent virtual world shaped by players, EVE Frontier is currently in development, with Founders Access available for early adopters eager to help influence its evolution.
Beyond game development, Hilmar is a prominent voice in the global tech community. He has spoken at premier industry events, including the Nobel Prize Conference, Game Developers Conference (GDC), and the DICE Summit. He also holds advisory and board positions across several organizations dedicated to Icelandic information technology and innovation, as well as with the Seoul International Business Advisory Council (SIBAC). A vocal advocate for virtual worlds, digital identity, and the fusion of physical and digital systems, Hilmar remains at the forefront of discussions shaping the future of interactive entertainment.
Hilmar graduated from the University of Iceland with a degree in computer science. Prior to becoming the CEO of CCP Games, he served as CTO, leading the development of the company’s proprietary 3D engine and persistent virtual world technology that underpin the expansive universe of EVE.